Bulgarian Police Assuage Fears of Tensions in Katunitsa

Kiril Rashkov, who has got a major tab running with the Bulgarian Revenue Service to the tune of BGN 6 M in unpaid taxes, is pictured here being led out of the courtroom. Photo by BGNES

There are no representatives of the Rashkov Roma clan in the village of Katunitsa, according to a statement of the Head Secretary of the Bulgarian Interior Ministry, Chief Commissar, Kalin Georgiev.

Georgiev spoke in connection with information that the grandsons of notorious Roma boss, Kiril Rashkov AKA Tsar Kiro, have returned to the village and are harassing its residents.

The Chief Commissar said the situation in Katunitsa is calm with enough police presence even though their number has been reduced in the last few days in order to let locals go on with their normal lives.

In the period between the September 23 events and Rashkov's arrest, the latter had not been guarded by the police, but they kept an eye on him in order to know his whereabouts, according to Georgiev.

Tsar Kiro was arrested on September 28. His name came into the spotlight after a young man from Katunitsa, Angel Petrov, 19, was run over by a minivan, driven by an associate of the Roma boss. Petrov died as result of the incident.

In the aftermath, Bulgaria became gripped by week-long protests. At some locations protests have turned violent and anti-Roma racist slogans were shouted. Over 350 have been arrested. Tsar Kiro is probed for tax evasion and is held under permanent detention, under a Court rule.

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